Ahlam Bolooki, the festival director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature shares her best picks on the books that educate on racism

6 books that'll educate you on racial injustice
6 books that'll educate you on racial injustice
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The exposé:

I Can’t Breathe: A Killing on Bay Street, by Matt Taibbi

This is an important book, telling the story of Eric Gardner who’s life was taken by an NYPD cop back in 2014. It reminds us that the protests have to be different this time. They have to bring about change for good. The ph

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The essential essays:

We Were Eight Years in Power, by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I had the pleasure of seeing Ta-Nehisi Coates speak at the Melbourne Writers Festival in 2018, and at the time I only knew him for writing a Black Panther series, but I have grown to really admire him as an author after hearing him speak. This book is a series of essays examining Barack Obama’s presidency and the effects having a black president had on America, and what lead to the rise of white supremacy that followed.

Dhs50 at Amazon

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The modern classic:

The Fire Next Time, by James Baldwin

James Baldwin was, and remains, one of the most powerful voices in African American literature, and this book is said to have fuelled the emerging civil rights movement in America when it first came out in 1963. It consists of two letters which offer an intimate insight into racial injustice in America, from the position of the black man. It is sad to think that half a century after this book was written, black people in America still face the same social injustices.

Dhs158 at Book Depository

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The page-turner:

Who Put This Song On?, by Morgan Parker

This one for young adults, written by award winning poet Morgan Parker, could be enjoyed by anyone. At 17, Morgan is often the only non-white person in her surrounding and struggles to deal with how the world around her interacts with her. She is tired of everyone listening to the same record which tells them how to think and what to believe. Finding her own place in the world, she meets people who truly understand her and takes charge of her own path.

Dhs32 on Amazon

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The book of the moment:

Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, by Reni Eddo-Lodge

This book started with a blog post in 2014, by its award-winning journalist author, where she addressed all of the reasons she has given up on discussing the topic of race with most white people, who are deeply unaware or refuse to address the fundamental life consequences of being black. The emotional exhaustion in this book is thought-provoking and triggers deep reflection and analysis of thoughts and behaviours. Really resonates.

Dhs36 at Amazon (Kindle)

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The historical novel:

Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan

I highly recommend reading this fictional gem which was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize in 2018. The story explores the topic of race and discovering the true meaning of freedom, as an 11-year-old in 1830, George Washington Black leaves a life of slavery on a Barbados sugar plantation to a new life of dignity, where he gets to travel as a research assistant. He is faced with the difficult reality that a black person is treated the same no matter where life lead. A thoroughly captivating story, transporting you to a different time and place.

Dhs39 at Virgin Megastore

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